Towel applicator



' the home by Patented Nov. 1 8, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES WELLINGTON ARTHUR SNEED, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

TOWEL APPLICATOR.

rl aZt whom it may camera.

B-e t l'rnown. tl'iatLdVnLLiNo'roN ARTHUR citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott, in the Stat'eof rem, have invented a new and useful fowel Applicator, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to improvements in which towels and poultices are adjustahly applied to the face and various other parts of the body, by brace means, and are in like manner held in place when so ap lied, and the ob ects of my invention are, first to rovide a towel applicator suitable for use without the assistance of second "'erson;

second,-=to provide means suitable or adustably applying and holding in place towels and poultices ts various parts of the body and limbs without the constant en gagement of the hand or hands or the use of common bandages; third,=to provide n ieahs suitable for employing cerh'rnon towj ts or rags or cloths as well as especially pie; pared cloths, towels and devices for poulticingg fourth, to provide means capable pf utiliz ng a partofa sin le towel or cloth for poult cing and at the same time using other parts of the same cloth as a bib to protectthe hush or clothesof the user; fifth,' to PmY lQ braces especially. adapted to the use of vanou shn sigie poultices, towels, and h a'sks'aiiii. s'uitedto variously sized persons, and ii hen applied to the face of man 01' W- inan c'apable or holding itself in place when applied to persons having longer or shorter necks, sixth,to provide a device capable of be1ng taken apart and reassembled and ad usted for satisfactory use upon different parts of the head, body and limbs, as necessity may require, either as a tonsorial, hospital, surgical or sick room appliance, for men, women, and children, and capable of being used by barber's and doctors, or in the household.

T. attain these objects by-the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1- is a side view, Fig. 2- is a plan view and Fig. & an end view, of the towel applicator. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the adjustable brace, Fig. 5+ is a perspective view of the brace adjusting hinge, 6 is a sectional view of the brace adjusting hinge, Figs. 7 and 8-- are resp'ectivelyplan views of a preferred form of towel unfolded and folded, 9 is a- Application filed October 18, 1922. Serial No. 595,219,

plan view of the middle section of the cross bar ofs'ho'ulder brace of the towel applicator disconnected from the base, discloslng its adjusting strap.- Fig. 10-

a top plan view taken at an angle of the base of the towel applicator with the adjusting hinges and braces disconnected disclosing the hook means of connecting the base with the adjusting strap.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base 1'-- and shoulder brace 9 constitute the frame work of my invention.

The device is used by hooking the hook 1a, of base, 1, into some one of the holes 12*, 13, 13*, 13 of s'tra hinge 12 of shoulder brace 9, with the hoo s 10 of the shoulder brace over the shoulders of the user with braces 4;, 5 and 6 attached to the base 1, so that the face and chin of the user will rest in the basket created by the bend in the braces 4,

Base 1 is a disk of suitable thickness, composed of any suitable material, having its edges formed into six irregular'facets, 1 1, 1, and 1 facet 1 being broadest, and facets 1 being of equal width, and narrower than 1 or 1 and positioned between facets 1 and 1 at the sides of the disk at right angles to facet 1 and facet-s 1 are wider than facets 1? an are positioned between facets l and 1 facet 1 is the narrowest facet and is at the point of the disk 1 on the side opposite facet 1 all facets except it are arranged to facilitate the action of adjustable hinges 2, which are secured upon said disk within the areas of the facets thereof by pins 2 or any suitable means, as shown in Fig. 2.

Adjustable hinge 2 is attached to base 1 with its break 3 arranged so that leaf 3 will turn up farther than down, said. hinge being composed of two leaves 3 and 3, said leaf 3 being an ordinary flat leaf provided. with holes 3' for attachment to the upper surface of base 1 above a facet, and leaf 3 has its upper side flat but on its lower or outside it has linearly disposed, secured thereon, a holder 3 suitable for receiving the lower ends 4, 5, and 6 of adjustable braces 4:, 5 and 6; and said holder 3 has provided in its side an inwardly bent, snap-tongue-spring 3 suited to engage in corresponding square holes 43, 5 and provided in the respective ends 4?, and 6 of the adjustable braces, for the purpose of holding the respective braces in desired positions suitable to the purpose desired to be effected, when said ends are inserted in said hinge brace holders 3, as shown in Fig. 6.

Adjustable braces at and 4 are alike and may be of any desired number, preferably 2, and adjustable braces 5 and 5 are alike and may be of any desirednumber. preferably2, and all of said braces are formed of strips of any desired material capable of being bent and retaining theirshape, and are of dimensions suitable to have their lower ends inserted in hinge brace holders 3, and each has a prolonged inwardly'curved offset portion 45 on. brace 4L and 5 on brace 5 positioned beginning about one-third ofthe distance from -adjustable braces l being less pronounced .ptheirlower ends at point 4-? on brace land point 5 on brace 5; thecurved offset 4P in and more fiaringthan that of -5 in braces 5 asshown in Fig. 4, theobjectbeingtofornr a towel basket, asv shown in F ig,'1 and are arranged on either sideof base 1 5 the braces 4, being positioned forward of braces 5.

These are interchangeable as conditions Vary.

Adjustable brace 6 is likewise formed of a strip of similar dimensions and material to braces 46 and 5,, for a similarpurpose, and is providedv with a similar inwardly curved ofiset 6 but more pronounced, extending from a point 6*, positioned about one-fourth ofthe distance fromthe lower end of brace 6.

' The length of the curvedparts 5 and 6 vof said braces serve to form the oval shaped basket necessary in fitting the towel applicator to the face.

The upper ends of braces 4t, 5 and 6 and of sub-braces 7 and 8 are outwardly curled into end-enclosed rings 4 5 and 6 and 8, the said rings being large enough, and the brace tip turned into the ring far enough away from the body-0f the brace of which the same is a part, that a towel or cloth hooked into it will not slip out when the applicator is upset 'or folded, with thetowel outside, for wringing or other purposes,

without its disengagement.

Adjustable brace 6 has a pair of holes 7 and 8 placed in proximity to each other, and positioned approximately one-tl' ird of the length of curve 6. from its top end, from which point the curvebecomes inwardly and upwardly abrupt 6 in which holes 7'? and 8" is securely hooked a pairof sub-braces 7 and 8 radiating from either side of'brace 6, each of which sub-braces 7 and 8 is slightly longer of telescoping by the insertion of the cross bar ends 1O and 10 into hole 18 from and in the middle section 18' of cross bar 10 in order to fit ersons of difierent sizes and suit- -thanthe portion 6 of brace 6, and which likewise curves inwardly and upwardly for the purpose of securing the edge of the towel in oval position.

Shoulder brace 9 is a strap yoke capable ed to support the basket 11 formed on base 1. The portions 10 and 10 of cross bar 10 connect by hinge means 10 to the vertical hook straps 10, which hooks straps 10 are suited to hang upon the shoulders of an ordinary person, and have upon their upper front sides pin hooks 10 suited to engage a towel end or bib. for the protection of the user when using wet and leaky poultices, massages, cloths or towels, or the wet end of a towel in the basket. v The portion 18 has loosely suspended from its middle by rivet 12", a strap hanger 12, having holes 13, 13, 13 each suited to receive the connecting hook 14 of base 1, when desiring to fixedly suspend the applicator upon the face and body of a user, leaving their hands free for use, during'the process. It isvobvious that by means of the hinges 10 and the telescoping' ,deviceformedof parts 10 10? and, 18 and loosely suspended strap hanger. 12, a the shoulder brace 9 maybe folded neatly when not in use, and the towel applicator may be made to fit persons of any size or lengthof neck. 7

,.When it is desired to disengage thetowels from adjustable braces "5' and 6 and subbraces 7 and 8, in order to hold themfrom falling apart, or in case of the use of'a one side poultice or massage only when theother side brace would be" needed for bracing, I employ a rubber band 19 around their lower ends, as shown in Fig.1, to hold them together, and I also use this in' packing, but

for this I haveprepared an especial basket Jtowel 11 constructed of any suitable material and of form conforming to the radius of the curled points 4 5", 6 7 and 8 of braces 4,5 and 6 and sub-braces? and 8 when raised to an approximate angle from base 1 of forty-fivede'g'rees, which basket towel has a nose hole 11 provided therein braces to said base member adjustable shoulder brace means attached to'sai'd' base menr her by hook and adjustable strap means suitable for facilitating the'adjustment of and holding the said towel applicator in position for use, curled end means" provided in the ends of said adjustable braces and in the ends of sub-braces suitable for securing upon said towel applicator,a towel, cloth or poultice, all for the purposes'specified.

2, In a towel applicator, a disk base member having multiple facets of difierent dimensions, hinge means and adjustable brace members securable upon said disk base member, a shoulder strap member, hook means on one of said facets, and hanger means having holes for engaging said hook means to removably secure said shoulder straps means to said disk base member.

3. In a towel applicator a disc base member, a shoulder brace member suitable for conjunctive use therewith, said shoulder brace member composed of a divisible telescoping bar portion, which telescoping bar portion is composed of two end portions and a middle portion, said end portions each having hingedly connected at one of their ends a hook shoulder strap portion capable of being folded upon said end portion, said shoulder strap portions being each provided near one of their extremities with pin hook means suitable for engaging a bib, said middle portion having each of its ends formed hollow suitable for telescoping the end of one said shoulder strap portions therein, said middle portion of said telescoping bar also having loosely secured thereto an adjustable strap hanger, said adjustable strap hanger having therein multiple holes suitable for removably attaching thereto said disc base member.

4. In a towel applicator, a disc base member provided with a leaf hinge, one leaf of said hinge being suitable for attachment to said disc base member, the other of said leaves of said hinge being suitable for securing to said base member a suitable brace member, said leaf having provided on its back, keeper means suitable for receiving therein the end of said adjustable brace member, said keeper means being suitably provided with stop spring means suitable for engagement in holes provided in the end of said adjustable brace member, capable of adjustably securing the end of said adjustable brace member in position within said keeper means, the hole capable of permittin said adjustable brace, when inserted in t e said keeper of said leaf of said hinged brace holding member to be adjusted at different angles.

In a towel applicator, a disc member forl'ned with multiple facets upon its edge and a shoulder strap member, a cross bar secured to said shoulder strap member pro vided with adjustable hanger strap means, loosely secured thereto, said hanger strap means having multiple adjusting holes; hook means secured upon one of the said facets of said disc member capable of engagement in the said adjustable hole means provided in the said hanger strap means of the said cross bar of the said shoulder strap member.

6. In a towel applicator of the class described; an adjustable brace member, the

lower end of said adjustable brace member being formed suitable for engagement in holder means provided on the back of adjustable hinge members, said lower, end of said adjustable brace member also having multiple holes therein, suitable for engagement with spring engaging means provided in said holder means provided on the back of said adjustable hinge means, said brace member having its upper extremity suitably curled into a holding clamp suitable for engaging and holding 'a cloth, said curled holding clamp being directioned reversely to the curve of said brace member, said adjustable brace member having suitably spaced therein an offset, outwardly directioned in such manner as to form of the remaining portion of said brace member an inward and upward curve, suitable to co-operate with other similar brace members, likewise suitably curved, in such manner as to form a basket, said adjustable brace member being capable of adjustment by said hinge leaf, said adjustable brace member being also capable of other adjustment in said hinge leaf, all for the purposes specified.

7. In a towel applicator of the class described; an adjustable brace member the lower end of said adjustable brace member being formed suit-able for engagement in keeper means provided on the back of a leaf of adjustable hinge member, said end of said adjustable brace member also having multiple holes adjacently provided therein suitable for engagement with spring engaging means provided in said keeper means provided on the back of said adjustable hinge means, said brace member having its upper extremity suitably curled into a holding clamp suitable for engaging and holding a cloth, said curled holding clamp being directioned reversely to the curve of said brace member; said adjustable brace member having suitably spaced therein an off-set, outwardly directioned in such manner as to form of the remaining portion of said brace member a prolonged right angular portion a suitable part of its brace member, said remaining length, having a pronounced inward and upward curve suitably proportioned in its upper end, suitable to 00-01)- erate with other curved brace members pro vided upon said base member in forming a basket, said adjustable brace member being provided at the point of conjunction of the prolonged right angular portion and the terminating pronounced inward and upward curve with a pair of sub-braces, secured thereto by hole means provided in said adjustable brace adjacent each other, each of said sub-braces having curled clamps on their extremities, their bodies being curved corresponding to the curve of the terminating inward and upward curve of said adjustable brace member, but suitable longer than said terminating end portion, all. for the purposes specified.

ShIn a towel applicator, having adjust- .able ,hingerneans operatively attached to a basemember, a brace member adjustably attached to said-base member, said adjust- .able brace member having provided-(upon form; a cloth of imperfect elliptical form vvsuitedi or engagement upon the said holding means provided upon,.the extremities vof saidwadjnstable brace members, in such ,manner as to hold said brace; members in shapesulted tobeconformably fitted to a human face, said towel having therein suitvably positioned, a nasal breathing hole, as

and for the purposes specified.

Done at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, this 16th day of October,

WELLINGTON ARTHUR SNEED. 

